The Ministry of Defence says it has signed a £316 million ($413 million) contract with weapons developer MBDA UK to deliver the DragonFire systems to the Royal Navy from 2027. This should make it the first high-power laser to enter service with any European nation. It will initially be fitted to Type 45 destroyers, the Navy's air defense ships, rather than the Type 26 frigates, as previously planned.
The country's Ministry of Defense recently tested the DragonFire laser at a facility in Scotland, according to a statement, where it was able to successfully shoot down high speed drones that "fly up to 650 km/h [404 miles per hour] - twice the top speed of a Formula 1 car." 🇬🇧 The UK's DragonFire laser has shot down high-speed drones in new trials, with above-the-horizon tracking and pinpoint accuracy at a kilometre. A £316m contract now pushes the system toward a Type 45 destroyer by 2027. pic.twitter.com/6sjHq1aYzH- UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) November 20, 2025
